Golden Gate University's Blog

GGU Students and Alumni Provide Free Tax Prep to the Local Community

GGU is now a registered Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program site, and will participate in the Earn it! Keep it! $ave it! program. Operating under the umbrella of the United Way and sponsored by the IRS, this nationwide program helps limited-income families with free tax preparation. For the 2018 tax season, students and alumni of the Bruce F. Braden School of Taxation will help taxpayers take advantage of special tax credits for which they may qualify such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), California EITC, or Child Tax Credit.

The effort to get GGU involved with VITA for the first time was led by Nooshan Famili, who is currently pursuing a master’s degree in taxation (’18) and works as a tax intern in Deloitte. As a UCLA student, she was a volunteer at an Earn it! Keep it! $ave it! location in Los Angeles and won a Super Hero award for her performance. Coordinating volunteers and promoting the event are part of her responsibilities for the 2018 program.

Nooshan Famili (’18)

As an immigrant from Iran, Famili appreciates the help VITA provides to help others like her understand their special tax requirements. “People who qualify for VITA generally get a refund,” she says. “VITA activities are also an opportunity for students to build new skills, interact with their peers, and network with GGU alumni and the taxation community.”

Famili also notes the enthusiastic support of Fred Sroka, Dean of the GGU School of Accounting & Bruce F. Braden School of Taxation, in bringing the VITA Program to GGU.

If you are interested in volunteering or taking advantage of free tax preparation, please see GGU’s VITA web page.